★ 5 / 10
Beautiful visuals but a sparse, problematic plot!
My 55th Jess Franco film.'Cecilia' is a difficult film to rate because, on the one hand, it's one of Franco's most beautiful films to watch and on the other…
My 55th Jess Franco film.'Cecilia' is a difficult film to rate because, on the one hand, it's one of Franco's most beautiful films to watch and on the other, what plot there is, is problematic. As I've said before, In Uncle Jess world, everyone walks around mostly naked, shags a lot and people either get murdered or raped, sometimes both. In this case, Cecilia is sexually assaulted at the beginning of the film and enjoys it, to such an extent, that she asks hubby if they can have an 'open relationship' and that is the whole plot. I do sometimes wonder what was going on inside Franco's head and then I realise I'd rather not know.There isn't much dialogue, the film relies heavily on visuals, Muriel Montossé (Cecilia, in this version of the film) is very attractive, but doesn't have a lot to do for us to really connect with the character and I found Olivier Mathot (who plays her Uncle) very annoying in this. There was just no need for him to be there (more on that in a moment). Lina Romay pops up (as usual), this time in a terrible wig, and we find out she sleeps with her son which seems to make everyone happy and horny and then the film just carries on.Even though the subject matter is an issue, I would really like to see the original Spanish cut 'Aberraciones Sexuales de Una Mujer Casada' because the Oliver Mathot character is not there, he added and directed those scenes himself at the request of Eurociné who had purchased the film for release in France. I think that version would be better but it isn't easy to find. Muriel Montossé's character is Emma and not Cecilia in that version!Either way, most of the film is so beautifully filmed and dreamlike to look at, that I've given it a 5 and I'm a generally low scorer.
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★ 3 / 10
Shallow Desires and Misguided Sensuality ???
CrimsonRaptor
Jesús Franco's collaboration with Olivier Mathot on "Cecilia" represents one of the more problematic entries in the prolific director's vast filmography, a…
Jesús Franco's collaboration with Olivier Mathot on "Cecilia" represents one of the more problematic entries in the prolific director's vast filmography, a work that attempts to explore themes of sexual liberation and psychological trauma but ultimately collapses under its own misguided premise and exploitative execution. The film follows the wealthy aristocrat Cecilia through what the directors presumably intended as a journey of sexual awakening, but what emerges instead is a deeply troubling narrative that confuses exploitation with exploration.Muriel Montossé delivers a performance that wavers between committed and confused, struggling to find emotional truth within a character whose motivations remain frustratingly opaque throughout the film's runtime. While Montossé possesses a certain screen presence and handles the film's more challenging scenes with professional determination, she cannot overcome the fundamental issues with her character's psychological development. Antonio Mayans, as her diplomat husband Andre, provides adequate support but remains largely relegated to a reactive role that fails to capitalize on his dramatic capabilities.The film's visual approach reflects Franco's typical fascination with natural settings and intimate cinematography, with Raymond Heil's camera work occasionally capturing moments of genuine beauty in the rural French locations. However, these fleeting instances of visual poetry are overwhelmed by the film's more exploitative elements, which dominate the narrative to the detriment of any serious psychological exploration. The pacing suffers considerably, with lengthy sequences that feel more like padding than meaningful character development.Franco's direction lacks the hypnotic quality that characterizes his better work, instead feeling perfunctory and uninspired. The film's attempts at exploring the psychological aftermath of trauma come across as superficial and potentially harmful, reducing complex emotional states to simplistic sexual scenarios. The supporting cast, including brief appearances by Lina Romay, fails to provide the charismatic energy that might have elevated the material above its fundamental flaws.The production values remain serviceable but unremarkable, with adequate costume design and set decoration that establishes the wealthy milieu without particular distinction. The film's score contributes little to the overall atmosphere, often feeling intrusive rather than supportive of the narrative's emotional beats.Ultimately, "Cecilia" suffers from a profound disconnect between its apparent ambitions and its actual execution, resulting in a film that neither succeeds as serious psychological drama nor as effective exploitation cinema. The work feels particularly dated in its treatment of sensitive subject matter, approaching complex themes with a casualness that undermines any potential for genuine insight or emotional resonance.
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★ 3 / 10
Cecilia
RaulFerreiraZem
It is know that Jesus Franco did his fair share of total waste of time films. By that i mean films that dont have no reedeming qualities whatsoever. He also…
It is know that Jesus Franco did his fair share of total waste of time films. By that i mean films that dont have no reedeming qualities whatsoever. He also did a lot of very good ones and i like him a lot but Cecilia is not one of the good ones. This film is basically Emanuelle. That by itself is a huge disapointment for Jesus Franco enthusiasts because Emanuelle sucks really bad. But not only that this film is Emanuelle WITHOUT Sylvia Kristel and no one as interesting or charismatic to fill the gap. Lina Romay has a role in it but its quite insignificant. She has something like 5 minutes of screen time in total and even if she had more i doubt that it would be enough to make this one worthwile. The plot is very uniteresting, the soundtrack is very stock, the lead actress has no charisma, the locations are not particularly interesting either, some scenes go on forever (like the one where we see cecilia going back and forth horseback riding on the beach. And also it is way too long for its own good. Maybe if it was something close to 80 minutes it would be a little more tolerable but it isnt and it aint.
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Please post this in French. Original languages only.